SAN DIEGO -- The first Padres-Dodgers game of the season delivered its usual share of drama, even if it was a bit light on offense.
Michael King outdueled Yoshinobu Yamamoto, as San Diego won the opener of a three-game series at Petco Park, 1-0, on the strength of Miguel Andujar’s first-inning home run.
With the win, the Padres grabbed a half-game lead over L.A. for the top spot in the National League West. Here’s some instant reaction from Petco Park:
No fireworks, but near-playoff-level intensity
So often, tensions escalate when these two Southern California rivals meet. A season ago, they engaged in a beanball war in June that saw eight hitters plunked across a four-game series at Dodger Stadium. There’s been bad blood for the better part of a decade.
But none of it showed on Monday. This was just a good baseball game between two of baseball’s best teams, with first place in the division on the line.
Runs were at a premium. The Padres’ unsung hero might’ve been catcher Rodolfo Durán, who threw out both Mookie Betts and Shohei Ohtani trying to steal.
“He’s got a cannon,” said King. “Sometimes I feel like he throws it back harder to me than I throw it to him.”
Durán also made a handful of very astute ABS challenges -- at some very important junctures.
“Threw a couple guys out, caught a shutout,” said manager Craig Stammen. “We feel really comfortable with him behind the plate.”
With the Padres clinging to a one-run lead in the ninth, Mason Miller made things difficult on himself by walking the first two Dodgers he faced. But he found the strike zone eventually -- and stranded two runners to nail down his Major League-leading 15th save.
Fine margins. They usually are when these two teams meet.
King makes a statement
The Padres have concerns in their starting rotation. Their depth is thin, and two of their best starters -- Nick Pivetta and Joe Musgrove -- remain on the IL, with no timeline yet for a return.
Makes you wonder … Where would the Padres be without King?
“That was the discussion in the offseason when Michael was a free agent,” Stammen said. “We knew we needed starting pitching and wanted to sign someone. Michael was at the top of our list, because he has the potential to be an ace -- can be an ace, if he’s healthy.
“So far he’s showed that this year. That’s what we have come to expect out of Michael. It’s a hard thing to be an ace on a staff. But he’s showed so far that he’s capable of being that guy for us.”
King turned in his best start of the season on Monday night, working seven scoreless innings, while striking out a season-high nine Dodgers hitters. He allowed only four hits, all of them singles and didn’t allow a runner to reach scoring position until the sixth.
Even when he hasn’t been at his best this season, King has gotten by. He’s been the Padres’ most reliable starter, no matter what kind of stuff he has that night.
But this was King at his dominant best, mixing and matching five different pitches to keep the Dodgers off-balance (and lowering his ERA to 2.31 in the process). It was also the first time he’s completed seven innings this season.
“I want to go as deep as I can every game,” King said. “I know we’ve got that electric bullpen down there. But I try to convince Stammen I can go as many as possible. So yeah, was happy to get through seven.”
Andujar keeps mashing
With their stars struggling, the Padres have desperately needed major contributions from the role players on their offense this season. And they’ve gotten them.
From Andujar in particular.
The Padres signed Andujar just before Spring Training to a one-year deal. They envisioned him as a regular starter against lefties and perhaps a bench bat against some tough right-handed starters.
Except … he’s been so good that he’s worked his way into the everyday DH role and, lately, the No. 2 spot in the starting lineup.
It was in that No. 2 spot where Andujar launched a first-inning home run off Yamamoto, giving the Padres a 1-0 lead. He followed with a single in the third and has posted a team-leading .298 batting average with an .823 OPS this season.
Quite a signing.
“He’s kept us going offensively when we’ve had some people scuffling,” Stammen said. “Every time he swings, he’s hitting a line drive. … Right now he’s taking some of our best at-bats of anybody in our lineup, and he’s been a catalyst for us being able to score runs and win some games.”